Home For The Holidays
by The Bloody Red Queen Of Angst
Summary: "Everyone needs a place to go. Everyone needs a place where they belong. Everyone needs family." Highly suggested that "Suicide Girl And Her Saboten" and "Ships" be read before this. Just a little drabble to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. *Oneshot/Complete*


**A/N: Dedicated to my sister from a Canadian mister. Love you, my friend and sister in ink.**

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"Gabe..." This came in a low, irritated groan. "This is fucking _stupid_."

"Don't say that." The man scolded lightly.

"It's _cold,_ Gabe." This latest complaint came a little more forced in anger through the thin veil of visible breath as an irked gaze watched the airport provided transportation and only means of escape pull away and disappear down the quiet street.

"I'm not the one that dressed you." These words came in swift rebuke as the man eyed the lean frame clad in a beanie and thin black tweed, thigh length trench. "You did that yourself." The man's tone was unsympathetic to his friend's discomfort as he spoke. "Good job, dude."

"Gabe..." Depthless orbs of hostile chocolate brown burrowed into those of warm inviting hazel.

"Not another word, Aden." The man retorted almost sharply as he stalked away from the house, a little ways through the snow back to his friend. "This isn't for me." His voice dropped to a steamed whisper. "This is for _her_ , so suck it up." He reprimanded a little more seriously, his demeanor uncharacteristic of his normally jovial, almost childish nature. "She fucking loves you, man."

This reminder was enough to cause the drop of deep, rich chocolate eyes to the white snow beneath as the younger, more petulant man standing a few inches taller than his accuser remained silent. Fishing for something from the pocket of his thick winter jacket, warm hazel eyes shown with a level of mischievous amusement at the younger man's expense. Before a single word of protest could be uttered against the shiny decoration, the protective strip was removed from the adhesive back and the vibrant dark blue Christmas bow was unceremoniously stuck to the younger man's beanie. With a grin that curled into the man's cheekbones, he clasped the younger man's shoulders.

"Dude!" He practically squealed in childish delight at the vision before him. "She's gonna _love_ this!" As he turned to make his way to the house, a parting command was uttered over his shoulder. "Stay right there and don't move!"

"Where the fuck would I go, Gabe..." This breathless grumble and the huff of a sigh was all that could be heard as pale hands stuffed themselves into the pockets of his thin jacket and that hostile chocolate gaze scanned the peacefully silent and otherwise abandoned suburban surroundings.

Finally making his way through the snow to the front porch of the charmingly decorated home, the man knocked on the door as he practically bounced in place where he stood waiting. The muffled sounds of a disembodied voice and the shuffle of feet could be heard through the thick oak door before it came jarred open.

Standing in the threshold of the door was a petite woman in her late forties. Though the faintest of lines touched and caressed themselves around the corners of her lips and eyes, the woman's face was none the less captivating...time having been a kind lover to her. Dirty dish blond hair cascaded down along her shoulders in soft attractive curls as she greeted the surprise visitor at the door with stunned silence.

"Mama!" The man enthusiastically announced himself, throwing his arms wide open as the older woman dove into his embrace, practically knocking him down as she buried her face tenderly into his chest.

"Baby!" This came through a constellation of happy tears along her lashes as the smile along her delicate lips caused gorgeous cringing along the corners of her eyes. "My baby!" She almost sang this love song of adoration towards her offspring. "You're home!"

"You surprised?" He asked, returning and mirroring the smile of joy over this reunion.

"I though you were going to be busy this Christmas." She responded, and the smile along the man's lips grew and curled into his cheeks as he collected both of her tiny hands into his own, oversized ones.

"Go get your coat." His voice came excited in its persistence as his eyes shown with the same fervor. "I have another surprise for you." The woman gave him a curious look, but quickly complied as he planted a kiss along the top of her head and gently released her hands.

Quickly reappearing at the open door with her coat, the man again claimed her small, delicate hand in his as he began to lead her out the door into her front yard.

"Close your eyes, Mama." This came whispered as she beamed a smile and squeezed her eyes tightly shut, slowly trailing behind the man as he gingerly lead her along the snow trail.

As their pace slowed to a stop in the snow, the man maneuvered behind her, taking both of her hands as he wrapped her in a hug and whispered in her ear.

"Open them."

As the woman slowly opened her eyes along the snowy white scene of her front yard, she let out a small gasp of surprise at the tall, dark lean figure standing before her. The soft tremble of her lower lip came along the shapings of an astonished expression and the spread of another smile as an unobtrusive tear trailed along her rouge cheek. Looking up over her shoulder to her son, the man behind her beamed a grin.

"Merry Christmas, Mama." He whispered quietly through his warm smile as the woman once again turned her gaze to the younger man standing before them donned in his thin black jacket, beanie, and blue Christmas bow.

"Aden..?" This came through the soft quiver of her lips.

"Hi, Desireé..." This came murmured softly through thin lips as lean, angular features held a calm, passive expression.

"Oh!" The woman gasped as another happy tear escaped her, released from her son's arms as she quickly moved through the snow to embrace the other young man. "Welcome home, Aden baby!"

As the woman finally closed the distance to hug the young man, the warmth of her unconditional maternal affection drove away the chill that had begun to settled in Aden's core. Backing up the fraction of a pace to take him in, her delicate chin tilting up towards his face, she gave a small ecstatic giggle towards his appearance as she poked at the bow strategically stuck to his beanie. Another amused chuckle came from the man standing witness to his mother's joy as he hollered out.

"Told you, man!" Gabe's voice rose to meet his friend. "She loves it!"

 **THE END**


End file.
